


That Which Lingers on Us

by Merfilly



Series: Rise Up, Rebels [5]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-12
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-26 07:55:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6230113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A night aboard ship, with a promise made for one who is not there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	That Which Lingers on Us

Padmé rested a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder as she stood from laying Leia down in the crib beside her brother. "We can rework the midship space for you," she offered softly. "You don't have to stay in here so much."

The Togruta shook her head. "Maybe, in a few more months, Padmé," she said, having easily adapted to the informality aboard the _Stubborn Hope_. "It helps me, to be here, to see the reminder of my Master's goodness."

That made the human's throat tighten, both with emotion of the moment and in memory of the point she knew her husband had died, when he had turned on her. Yet, she refused to give up hope, and it seemed Ahsoka was holding onto her own version. 

"If you need anything, please let me know, Ahsoka," she told the young ex-Jedi softly. She then left Ahsoka in the nursery cabin, where a berth had been installed early on, one Ahsoka had taken over on joining their ship.

Padmé wandered back to the cockpit, thinking to check on Artoo and the nav-computer to be certain they were still safe. Artoo had been working hard on keeping their hyperspace travel as random as possible, yet still get them to the next meeting place on time. She didn't expect to find Obi-Wan in there, once again wrapped in the too-large robes. He looked up at her, startled by her presence, as he'd been too deep in meditations to feel her.

She slipped into the pilot's seat, since he was in the co-pilot's place. Was this how it had usually been for him and Anakin? The thought added to the ache in her chest tonight.

"That's one of Qui-Gon Jinn's robes, isn't it?" she asked, deciding to settle that for her curiosity. She remembered the tall man with almost a child's fondness. He'd been kind and straight-forward.

"Yes," he admitted. "I retrieved it from the hangar. On Naboo," he added, as it was easier to think on that older, long-scarred over wound than more recent ones. "It was habit to keep it rolled in my gear."

"A good way to keep him close to you all these years," she said, studying him. How many ghosts did he live with, this man that loved her Anakin as she did? She knew of at least one other, remembering the epic levels of unease and turmoil Anakin had come to her in, because of Duchess Satine Kryze. How Anakin had seen a relationship there, when she had not… yet the Duchess's death had affected the partnership for the worse. She had suspected that the relationship with Cody had been complicated, based on other comments from her husband. That had proven true in the way using Cody against him had worked, a necessity she sometimes regretted, given how much more distant he'd become.

How much did she know of Obi-Wan that was not given to her through the filter of Anakin's hopeless love for him?

"Sometimes, it is as if he is here, near me, urging me to continue, when I truly do not know if I can," Obi-Wan admitted, with the sound of defeat in his voice. Despite the strain between them, given their history, Padmé reached for and took his hand.

"From what I remember, Qui-Gon Jinn would want nothing more than for us to find our way, to reach Anakin, and turn the galaxy back to a better way."

He met her eyes, letting her see how upset he was. "Padmé, you seem so certain that we can, and yet when I battled him —"

"You battled Palpatine's puppet, Obi-Wan. We will reach Anakin, and we will either find his goodness again… or I will personally free his soul into the Force from its prison." She hurt to say it aloud, but there was no other hope for the galaxy to be free. So long as Palpatine had Darth Vader to run his reign of terror, no one was safe.

He could not answer her, but he did not let go of her hand either.


End file.
